


A Pretty Pink Bow Around Your Wrists

by ILoveWater



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Manipulation, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, Teen Rating for swearing, honestly how can I not love her, james being oblivious, maybe one day will make into an actual fic idk, umbridge being the wonderful bitch she is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24472441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ILoveWater/pseuds/ILoveWater
Summary: Dolores loves James. And she'll have him. He just doesn't know it yet.
Relationships: James Potter/Dolores Umbridge
Kudos: 3





	A Pretty Pink Bow Around Your Wrists

**Author's Note:**

> Yooo idk if I'll ever expand this but please enjoy !

“Oh, James, you really shouldn’t be seen with the likes of her. You know the rumors, she cheats off of purebloods to get her good grades.” Dolores inspected her glossy pink nails. She had been trying different forms of nail art recently but she thought these looked particularly charming. She had used special kitty nail stickers that meowed whenever she tapped her fingers.

James’ face twisted into a scowl. “Whoever is spreading those rumors is a filthy liar. They’re probably just some stuck up purebloods who are jealous that a muggleborn is better at magic than them. Really, Dolores, you shouldn’t hang out with people who say things like that.” 

Dolores gave an internal sigh. She wasn’t sure if she was amused or annoyed at how oblivious James Potter could be. Spending time with people who said things like that?  _ She _ spread the rumors. Some dumb moodblood bint shouldn’t be going around pretending to be better than everyone else just because she had a little stolen magic. 

She smiled sweetly at James, tucking a strand of curly hair behind her ear. Honestly, she was  _ so _ much prettier than the redhead. She was decorated in pink frills and bows, a cute lilac choker on her neck, and the  _ prettiest _ dangles on her wrists. Was it her ears? She knew she should have gotten them pierced. Ah, well, it was just like a Gryffindor to not see a treasure when it was dropped in front of their nose.

She leaned in towards the boy. “But how can you be sure? Isn’t it  _ strange, _ how she can be so good at potions when  _ we’ve _ all had years of experience before Hogwarts? I just can’t believe a muggleborn”- the word puckered her lips like a sour candy -” would be so good at it without extra help. She doesn’t have any friends. Other than cheating or cursing the teachers, I really can’t think of anything.”

Dolores put on her most innocently confused expression, and she knew she had James cornered. He would  _ never _ admit that Severus was Evan’s friend, much less that he was helping her in potions. And even if he was, a mudblood couldn’t  _ actually _ learn any of it properly. Severus’s talents were wasted on the wench.

James shook his head wistfully. “I guess you just can’t understand, Dolores. Sometimes you just find something you have a natural talent in, pureblood or halfblood or muggleborn. We’re both great at DADA, and Lily is a genius at Potions.” Right. The reason they had started talking in the first place.

She sent her best wishes to the DADA professor that had directed James to her for tutoring. She couldn’t remember her name anymore, but Dolores wouldn’t have forgotten how the professor was dismissed; she was caught in an intimate scene with a student. She should have known better than to get caught.

Dolores’s smile stretched even further at James’ words. Really, it was always such a novelty how people just forgot how old she was when talking to her. James, ever the shining example of a gryffindor, self-proclaimed hater of slimy slytherins, just so happened to forget she was one every time they saw each other. He was so adorable. She was graduating this year, and knew she was far more worldly than the naive and arrogant James would ever be. 

“Oh, well, if you think so, James. I trust you. Just be careful with her, muggleborns inevitably have a tough time with Pureblood traditions. You wouldn’t want any misunderstandings to happen.” Dolores fully intended to cause as many as possible if the dumb boy indeed went after the ginger. It wouldn’t take too much. There were so many  _ wonderful _ pureblood traditions that mudbloods had the gall to find  _ barbaric. _

Honestly, James  _ was _ the perfect guy. He lacked common sense, was arrogant, rich, of good standing, was on the Quidditch team,  _ and _ excelled in his classes. And she was  _ so close. _

James’ eyebrows dipped. “You think so? I don’t have much experience with muggle courting traditions. I could try asking around…” Dolores’ eyes widened fractionally in surprise. James? Doing research? In an area outside of his interest or classes? Maybe this boy really had hidden depths…

“Oh, I think I’ll be fine. Lily’s so smart, how could it not work out? I might have to ask Sirius for some advice though…” Dolores cackled in her head, only nodding along encouragingly on the outside. James was making this all too easy for her. Asking Black for advice for courting a mudblood? Much less, a mudblood like Evans? Maybe she truly wouldn’t have to do much at all to have James in her grasp.

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to increase her chances. Dolores sighed dramatically. “Girls like her can be a little… flighty. They make you chase them and then once they get what they want they dump you for the next boy. Never want to settle down.” Dolores was sure to make her voice sound wistful and sad. “Is she really worth that? Love can be so fickle, James. Don’t let her break your heart. You really are too sweet for your own good.” James undoubtedly was anything but. She knew about his encounters with dear Severus, but she knew well enough that Severus could hold his own, and honestly, it wasn’t the place of a lady to get between growing boys trying to sort out their frustrations. It certainly wouldn’t do her any good to get involved in that mess. Hopefully it would continue to drive Evans and James further apart.

“Lily’s not like that,” he insisted. “She hasn’t been with a single guy at all through all our school years. I can tell she wants to save herself for someone special. I just want to be that someone.” James shook his head. “I’m glad you worry for me, Dolores, but I think I know her better than you do. And if I get hurt, you’re always here to distract me with new spells and interesting lessons.” Ah, Dolores loved him. The poor naive boy. She knew _much_ _better_ ways to... _distract_ him. It certainly would make everything much simpler. He couldn’t leave her if she was pregnant, right? Ah, but she terribly hated children. She was hoping to have a surrogate pregnancy once they got married. She’d have to work with what she had.

James drew his hand through his terribly messy and handsome hair, his eyes drawing up to his wristwatch, a flashy heirloom inscribed with the Potter crest. “Shit!” Tsk. He really shouldn’t swear in front of a lady, but Dolores would have time later to teach him proper manners. Not even a pureblood could be perfect all the time. 

“I can’t believe I lost track of time again! I’ll see you again on Monday?” James asked absently, waving his wand to pack his stuff for him, and when that was getting to slow he started using his hands.

Dolores smiled sweetly at James, already having ‘coincidentally’ packed her bag. She never lost track of time. It would have to be enough for the both of them once they started living together.

“I’ll be here,” she replied. James rushed out of the room. Tripped up on a loose brick. Dolores just watched him go.

One day, he would be rushing out of their house like that, and Dolores would be secure with the knowledge that he was coming back the same afternoon.


End file.
